In these images released on November 4, combo image shows Indian-American leaders Aruna Miller, top left, Pia Dandiya, top centre, Pramila Jayapal, top right, Suhas Subramanyam, bottom left, Ami Bera, bottom centre, and Ro Khanna, bottom right, who secured victories in the 2026 US midterm elections. (Handout via PTI Photo)
US mid-term polls LIVE: Iranian officials say results show voters have rejected Trump's war
Democratic control will profoundly reshape Trump's final two years in office and likely hamstring his agenda
Democrats have won control of the US House in addition to the US Senate, delivering a shockingly decisive rebuke of Republican governance in Washington and ushering in a new era of congressional resistance to President Donald Trump.
The midterm elections Tuesday (November 3) channeled voters' deep frustrations over high prices, the Iran war and concerns over government corruption. Democrats routed their rivals across the map, from Texas to Iowa to New Hampshire, including states Trump won by double digits just two years ago.
Democratic control will profoundly reshape Trump's final two years in office and likely hamstring his agenda.
Trump’s veto threat
Trump has promised he would use his veto power to block Democrats’ agenda, forecasting the potential for gridlock in Washington.
Democrats charted an extraordinary path to Senate victory through some of the most conservative states in the nation.
The elections will drastically shift power in Washington. Democrats had been cautiously optimistic heading into Tuesday as they watched Republicans spend the campaign’s final stretch pumping tens of millions of dollars into states and districts that Trump won handily two years ago, and watched Trump campaign across some of the reddest states.
They had bet that discontent over Trump’s failure to stop inflation and perceptions that he's focused more on gilding the nation’s capital than easing their pain at the pump will turn the tide in their favor.
Republicans had held out hope their money advantage would help stem the tide, but they were bracing to lose control of the U.S. House and fighting to hang onto the U.S. Senate — an outcome that seemed unlikely earlier this year, given a map widely seen as favoring their party.
Also Read: After the midterms, will Trump resume Iran war?
Will US mid-term results dictate Trump’s move to resume Iran war?
Why should India worry about US midterm polls? This and other queries answered
Trump and the US midterms: A political asset or liability for Republicans?
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Live Updates
- 4 Nov 2026 8:57 AM IST
Democrat Jon Ossoff calls midterm results a 'rebuke of Trump presidency'
Democrat Jon Ossoff, who retained his Senate seat in Georgia, described the midterm outcome as a setback for President Donald Trump. The term-limited president now has his final two years in office ahead of him.
According to the Associated Press, Ossoff said the election results reflected a strong rejection of Trump's presidency.
"In sweeping and decisive victories, the American people have rebuked the depravity, corruption and incompetence of a failed lame duck President Donald J. Trump," Ossoff said as quoted by AP.
He also criticised the state of American politics, describing it as “small and selfish, bought by big money, unmoored from fixed moral principles, and resigned to intractable division.”
- 4 Nov 2026 8:54 AM IST
Democrats win South Carolina Senate seat after 28 years
Democrats have won a South Carolina Senate seat previously held by Republican Lindsey Graham, marking the party’s first victory in the race in nearly three decades.
The last time a Democrat won the seat was in 1998, when longtime incumbent Senator Fritz Hollings won re-election.
- 4 Nov 2026 8:48 AM IST
US Midterms: Democrats projected to win control of the House
Democrats are projected to win control of the US House of Representatives, ending Republican control of both chambers of Congress and paving the way for two years of clashes with President Donald Trump, reported CNN.
- 4 Nov 2026 8:44 AM IST
Democrat Chris Pappas makes history as first openly gay US Senator
Democratic Representative Chris Pappas has won a seat in the US Senate, becoming the first openly gay man elected to serve in the chamber.
Pappas defeated former Republican senator John Sununu in New Hampshire, keeping the seat under Democratic control, according to projections from US media outlets.
In a statement published on his website, Pappas said no American should face discrimination because of their identity or whom they love. He also pledged to defend the dignity and equal rights of people across the country.
"No one should be discriminated against because of who they are or who they love," Pappas said.
- 4 Nov 2026 8:40 AM IST
US midterm polls: The key numbers
The November 3 elections covered every seat in the US House of Representatives and 35 positions in the 100-member Senate. Republicans currently control both chambers, while Democrats are seeking enough victories to gain control of the House, the Senate or both.
Democrats hold 214 seats in the House and 45 in the Senate, alongside two Independents. They need three additional House victories compared with the previous election and four more Senate seats to secure control of Congress.
A Democratic majority would give the party the authority to challenge President Donald Trump’s policy agenda during the next two years.
Congress: House of Representatives and Senate | Key figures
House of Representatives
- Total seats: 435
- Current composition: Republicans have 218 seats, Democrats hold 214, one Independent is aligned with Republicans, and two seats are vacant.
- Majority threshold: 218 seats
Senate
- Total seats: 100
- Seats up for election: 35, comprising 33 regular contests and two special elections.
- Current composition: Republicans hold 53 seats, while Democrats have 45. Two Independents are also part of the Democratic count.
- Majority threshold: 51 seats
Key Senate races
Michigan:
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed vs Republican Mike Rogers
Alaska:
Democrat Mary Peltola vs Republican Dan Sullivan
Texas:
Democrat James Talarico vs Republican Ken Paxton
Kansas:
Democrat Adam Hamilton vs Republican Roger Marshall
Maine:
Republican Susan Collins vs Democrat Troy Jackson
Other closely watched Senate contests are taking place in Iowa, Ohio, Nebraska and South Carolina.
- 4 Nov 2026 8:13 AM IST
Democrats show clear edge in Senate and House
Prominent news websites say that democrats are performing well in Republican strongholds of South Carolina and Texas.
- 4 Nov 2026 8:08 AM IST
Keisha Lance Bottoms wins governor’s race in Georgia
The former Mayor of Atlanta has made history for being the first black woman to get elected as governor in US history. She will also be Georgia’s first female governor.
- 4 Nov 2026 8:02 AM IST
Democrat Wesley Bell wins reelection to US House in Missouri's 1st Congressional District
Democrat Wesley Bell has won the reelection to the US House in Missouri's 1st Congressional District.
- 4 Nov 2026 7:45 AM IST
Democrat JB Pritzker wins reelection for governor in Illinois
Democrat JB Pritzker won election Tuesday as governor of Illinois, defeating Republican Darren Bailey. Pritzker was seeking a third term. Pritzker, a billionaire businessman and an heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune, is considered a potential contender for the White House in 2028. Bailey, a former state lawmaker, also lost to Pritzker in 2022. The Associated Press declared Pritzker the winner at 8:00 p.m. EST.
- 4 Nov 2026 7:44 AM IST
Democrat Nikema Williams wins reelection to US House in Georgia's 5th Congressional District
Democrat Nikema Williams has won the reelection to US House in Georgia's 5th Congressional District.
